Baptist Conservative-Liberal Rift Deepens in Missouri
More than 10 years have passed since moderate Baptists within the Southern Baptist Convention formed their own Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. However, the gulf between conservative and liberal Baptists has continued to evolve and grow.
More than 10 years have passed since moderate Baptists within the Southern Baptist Convention formed their own Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. However, the gulf between conservative and liberal Baptists has continued to evolve and grow.
In the latest development highlighting this rift, the conservative Missouri Baptist Convention passed a resolution to prevent its churches from aligning with the CBF or any other organization considered to compete with the SBC, according to the Associated Baptist Press.
Meeting at the Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo., from Oct. 24-26, the messengers adopted two constitutional amendments narrowing MBC membership requirements. The changes specifically allow the convention to reject membership to churches that support the CBF and the Baptist General Convention of Missouri – the moderate counterpart to the MBC – but makes exceptions for other Baptist organizations.
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Since its formation in 1994, the CBF has been at odds with the much more conservative SBC. Ten years ago, the SBC began rejecting funds from the CBF, and just last year the SBC rescinded its membership from the Baptist World Alliance largely because the Alliance accepted CBF as members.
In most states, local Southern Baptist churches are allowed to align with either or both denominations by sending messengers to annual assemblies, missionaries, or funds. The MBC’s move marks the first time a state convention has required its members to choose between the two.
The amendment changes the membership eligibility requirement from “any Baptist church in sympathy with the objects of the Convention” to “any Southern Baptist church singly aligned with the Convention.” Supporters of the proposal say the amendment would better define what it means to be a part of the MBC.
The single-alignment measure received an 82 percent vote of 916 to 217.
